Page 71 of Tell Me Your Desires
That’s not why I did that, Anya. I’m sorry. Can we talk about this when you get home? I’d feel better if you left the club.
Not heartless,Anya thought.
But Jaimewasscared.
I’m leaving now. We’ll talk tomorrow.
Chapter Twenty-Five
With an unusual feelingsitting in her chest, Jaime approached the club’s exit. While her time with Lady A was always incredibly hot, something had shifted within Jaime tonight. She thought the same was true for…Lady A, but then she’d seemed a little distant during their goodbyes. Jaime supposed it was understandable for her to feel that way. After all, Jaime had gone into the session tonight with one goal in mind: to put a target on her back. Unfortunately, that goal had slipped to the back of her mind the moment she saw Lady A. What the fuck was she thinking, making the session so personal?
You were thinking about dying and never having the opportunity to show Anya—or yourself—what it could truly be like between the two of you.
“Would you like me to escort you to your car?”
Jaime forced herself from her headspace and smiled back at security. “No, thanks.”
He held the door open for Jaime, watching her as she crossed the parking lot. She glanced back once or twice, feeling wary about him watching her, but it was his job to keep clients safe, and that included Jaime. She almost shuddered at the termclient. Jaime didn’t feel like a client anymore. She hadn’t felt like one since the moment she slept with Anya back at her place.
Oh, but you felt like one tonight. Lady A made sure of that!Jaime shook her head. It wasn’t fair to put that on Lady A since Jaime had pressured her into this op and then hijacked the session.
“Whatever you’re feeling is on you,” Jaime muttered to herself as she unlocked her car and slid inside. She sat there in silence for a few minutes, her head resting back on the headrest as she closed her eyes. Had she fucked up? Jaime had never felt the way she felt tonight with Anya; that part was genuine. But did giving in to her deepest desires put Anya in more danger?
Jaime’s phone vibrated, snapping her attention immediately. Max’s ugly mug filled the screen, and Jaime didn’t know whether to laugh or be disappointed that it wasn’t Anya.
“Hey.”
“All done?”
“It would be great if you could make it soundlesslike some seedy transaction,” she scoffed. From her periphery, she noticed the security guard still watching her. What was his deal? Was he making sure she wasn’t stalking Lady A or waiting for an opportunity to strike? What the fuck was his name, again? Sammy? No, Sonny. He wasn’t on their shortlist of suspects, but at this point,everyoneshould be on the shortlist. “But yes, we’re all done. Now we wait, I guess.”
“We wait for you to be targeted. I really don’t like this, Jaime.”
“Too late to back out now. What’s done is done. We just have to hope that the killer was watching.” Jaime did shudder this time. The idea of someone watching her while she and Anya lay naked and exposed wasn’t something she ever wanted to repeat.
Just then, a text came through on Jaime’s phone. It was from Anya. Whatever Jaime expected to hear from someone withwhom she’d just made love, this was not it. Anya was upset.Shit.Jaime quickly typed a response before reaching across her body to put on her seatbelt. That was her way of ensuring she didn’t do something stupid like run back inside and beg for forgiveness, essentially fucking up the entire operation.
“Yo, Baros! You still there?”
“Huh?” Jaime read Anya’s response for the tenth time.
We’ll talk tomorrow.
Damn it.“Yeah, yeah, I’m here.” Jaime eyed the security again. “Hey, I’m getting the stink eye from the bouncer dude. Could be that he’s looking out for Anya’s safety and wants me gone. Could be that he wants to cut my tongue out. I wanted to wait for Anya to come out, but…”
“But you can’t. Go ahead. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“Thanks, man. I’m just going down the road a bit. I’ll pick up her tail once she’s out of the club’s view.” Jaime started her car. She pretended like she was checking her rearview mirror, giving ol’ Sonny boy another once over. He moved back inside as soon as Jaime started her car. That was a point in his favor since it seemed like he was protecting Lady A. One point didn’t ease Jaime’s suspicions, though.
“Fine. I’ll follow you to Dr. Grant’s to make sure everything is secure there. And listen, my gut is telling me it’s not a good idea for you to go home tonight.”
I may not have a choice.“That’s probably all that junk food you’ve been eating,” Jaime teased as she pulled out of the parking lot. Though she couldn’t see through his tinted windows, she nodded at Max as she drove by his car.
“I’m serious, Jaime. This fucker is smart. You don’t think he’s done his homework on you? Hell, you’ve been to the club on more than one occasion. Maybe he’s been waiting for a reason to kill you, and you’ve just given him one. The shit he does? That takes a bit of planning, yeah? I wanted our guys ready and…”
“And I rushed this,” Jaime finished for Max. “I had to, Max. If it wasn’t me in the crosshairs, it was going to be her, you know that.” Jaime pulled off to the side of the road. Frustrated, she scrubbed her scalp with her blunt nails. “I wasn’t planning on going home, but that’s up to Anya. She’s not too happy with me at the moment. So maybe don’t follow so close because she’s not happy with you, either.”
“Can you blame her? She just took part in something that could get you killed, Baros, and we allowed it.”
